Shelter: Virus forced decision

• By DEBRA LEMOINE
• Advocate Florida parishes bureau
• Published: Aug 6, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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HAMMOND — The Tangipahoa Parish Animal Shelter in Hammond euthanized all 170 of its cats and dogs Monday and will be closed for at least the rest of the week because of a contagion that sickened most of the animals, Parish President Gordon Burgess said Wednesday.

Animal rescue workers familiar with the shelter say the euthanizing of the entire shelter population was unnecessary and is a visible example of mismanagement.

The parish’s decision to destroy the animals was made after consulting two veterinarians, the state Department of Health and Hospitals and the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Burgess said.

Parish workers suspect an infected animal was brought to the shelter and a virus spread throughout the shelter population.

Burgess emphasized officials don’t yet know the specific virus that sickened the animals, but think it might be an airborne contagion.

Most animals were vomiting and had bloody stools.

Burgess said coronavirus is suspected.

Coronavirus is typically a mild, treatable gastrointestinal infection spread through contact with animal feces, said Dr. Fred Gaschen, of the LSU Veterinary School.

In adult dogs, the virus causes vomiting, loss of appetite and diarrhea and is treatable, but it can be severe in puppies, Gaschen said.

For cats, the virus often goes undetected. In a small number of cases, the virus can mutate in cats into a more serious condition, Gaschen said.

Gaschen also said there is no test for coronavirus and it can be confused with other conditions, such as parvovirus, which is deadly.

Burgess said shelter workers spent Tuesday scrubbing the animal pens and dog runs as well as transport vehicles.

The quarantine period will run for at least three or four more days to give the virus a chance to die out, he said.